September 2023

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

I pray that with Bhagawan’s grace, you and your families are all keeping safe and well.

Saturday 2nd September saw the Sai Smaran event, which took place at Oxhey Wood School in Region 2. The event was more popular than ever, with a record number of singers and attendees. We have all experienced the energy that bhajans can create, Swami said:

When all the participants in group devotional singing (bhajan) sing in unison, what sacred vibrations are produced and what Divine energies are released! When these vibrations fill the world, what changes cannot they bring about! When one sings alone, the heart is merged in the song. But when many sing together, it acquires a Divine power.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 24, Ch. 4, 13 February 1991

Those of us who were fortunate to attend the Sai Smaran bhajans (or streamed them online) certainly experienced these vibrations and left feeling uplifted and energised.

We are now looking forward to the Prayers for Universal Peace in Birmingham on Sunday 17th September. Over 500 devotees have registered to attend and there is still an opportunity to register and attend if you would like to.

There have also been Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at the Centres and Groups around the country, as well as ongoing service projects this month, some of which you will read more about in this edition.

As we start a new academic year, many children will be starting a new Bal Vikas (SSE) year in Centres across the country. May Swami’s blessings be with the children and their Gurus as they progress on their spiritual journeys.

May Swami continue to give us all opportunities to serve him and shower us all with his blessings.

On 2nd September, we held Sai Smaran bhajans at Oxhey Wood Primary School, near Watford, bringing together several regions from across the UK. The event began with the opening prayers, followed by a beautiful musical offering with flute and tabla. Several bhajan slots then proceeded, bringing together a high standard of talent across the country. As Brother Nagasai mentioned in his welcome speech, bhajans are many people’s favourite form of Namasmarana and Sai Smaran provides a great opportunity for the country to unite as one and practise this together.

The lunch served consisted of pasta made by the Young Adults, alongside salad, fruit and bread. It was lovely to see the Young Adults get involved and help serve food to all those who attended. The event concluded with Brother Sathish, the National Spiritual Coordinator, giving thanks to everyone who attended and participated, and explaining that over 300 people had registered and that the programme had been a huge success. This was then followed by Sister Anita, the Region 2 President, further thanking the National team’s effort for all their hard work and all the musicians, media team and sevadals who helped make sure the event ran as smoothly as possible. Mahaprashad was then served to all the devotees before their journey back home.

Following the success of our last session, we are calling all Young Adults to attend our next event - your chance to meet the National President and his team in person. Don't miss this opportunity to find out what you've always wondered about the Sai Organisation.

Please register via the link below with your questions. All questions will be asked anonymously unless stated.

During the recent UK National Pilgrimage to Prasanthi, the Young Adults immersed themselves in all aspects of the trip; from spiritual offerings to service opportunities. We hear from a few Young Adults who share their experiences of their time there.

“The UK Pilgrimage 'Journey to Sai' was my first time on a pilgrimage or even a group trip to Parthi. Previously, I had only visited once whilst Swami was still in physical form and once after Mahasamadhi, in 2017. Therefore, this pilgrimage will always be held dear to my heart. Before travelling, we were always told that no one steps through the gates of Prasanthi Nilayam without Swami's will, and it was only through this pilgrimage that I honestly believe that. We all experienced a physical journey of travel, seva and singing/chanting, and also an inward journey of spirituality and reflection. The trip had its exceptionally high moments such as the talk by Brother Ravikumar and the Prasanthi Mandir bhajan group, as well as its struggles, with last-minute changes and late night practices. However, I would not change any moment, as there was a hidden lesson to be uncovered and learnt each time. Personally, being a group leader for the Young Adults gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet Young Adults from all over the country and strengthen already existing bonds. A common catchphrase mentioned during the last couple days of the pilgrimage was that we put the 'United' back into 'the United Kingdom', which was so evident from the care and love everyone showed, not only to one another, but also their commitment and dedication to Swami. I will be forever grateful to leave with such fond memories of the pilgrimage and, like many others, eagerly waiting for the next opportunity to travel to Prasanthi Nilayam.”

Age 21, Region 2

“With Swami's grace, I was able to join the pilgrimage group at a slightly later stage. How that happened in itself was His blessing. He will call when He wants and how He wants. This pilgrimage to Parthi was after a gap of eleven years so I was quite apprehensive about it in some ways but as always, Swami guided me each step of the way.

The main lesson I learned on this trip was the importance of seva. Whilst this is one of Swami's basic teachings, the way in which He reminded me shows how He has His own ways of reminding us individually, based on our capacity. One evening, I was sitting in the satsang hall as a bhajan workshop was about to commence. I was really looking forward to this and as it was about to start, a fellow brother asked me if I could help with a task, if I didn’t mind missing the workshop. I responded with, “I’d prefer to be part of this” and he said he’d ask someone else. I said if he couldn’t find someone, then I’d help. As he walked off, all of a sudden, I had a strong urge to leave the workshop and respond to the call of seva, so I called him back, saying I’d go with him. Cut a long story short, we cleaned one of the rooms that the Bal Vikas children had used and we ended up in the Sai Kulwant hall as the group practised. Despite the curtains being drawn around the Mahasamadhi, this was the closest and strongest connection I felt with Swami on this trip. What originally was meant to be ten minutes in the hall, turned into an hour! The closeness and intimacy experienced with Swami during that time cannot be explained, only felt.

The next day, I was called to offer a rose to Swami in the afternoon, before the Bal Vikas play commenced. I felt truly humbled and honoured to be given this opportunity and later that night, Swami came in my dream, smiling, and said, “Seva is not confined to Prasanthi alone”. He blessed me and showed acceptance of the rose.

Upon waking, I recalled His darshan and reflected upon His words. That day, another opportunity of seva arose and I also took that up. This experience has really made me think about how I can turn my everyday tasks into acts of service. As Swami has said, “Even a smile is an act of service”. This has created a shift in mindset and attitude into how I conduct myself. I may not always have time to go to the Sai Centre or other places to serve, but how can I serve at home or work? At home, I can see my own house as a temple and rather than think, “I need to hoover”, think “I am hoovering in the temple” and offer it to the residents of the house. At work, I can have a simple thought or say a simple prayer as each student arrives and departs for their session and cultivate the awareness that this is not just “work” but a seva in and of itself too.

I’m very grateful to Swami for having called me to His abode and to those who facilitated the journey. I also felt blessed and uplifted by the satsangs and felt humbled and motivated by being amongst so many talented fellow brothers and sisters who are inspirations.”

Age 28, Region 4

“Bal Vikas and Swami have always been a prominent part of my life. The first time I was fortunate enough to visit Prasanthi was when I was 7 years old, going with my family for my sister’s birthday. I had just started Bal Vikas. I can vividly remember Sai Kulwant Hall tightly packed, anticipation and excitement building up over whether Swami would be blessing us at darshan. Seeing Swami’s loving, kind face, a smile playing on His lips, each one of us feeling as if He had only come out for us, the thrill and elation that you feel in His physical presence.

Fast-forward 12 years, I have grown up with Swami through every aspect of my life and I am now visiting Prasanthi again as part of the UK pilgrimage. I will admit to the trepidation I felt from visiting while Swami’s physical form was no longer there. However, I can now firmly say that my belief and understanding that Swami resides everywhere and in everyone has only been more securely reinforced. Being in Sai Kulwant Hall, feeling the vibrations, touching the Samadhi, in the cool breeze when the sun was beating down on us, the burst of heavy downpour after darshan to cool the walk back to our room, the Sevadal running after us to give vibuthi - Swami’s invisible hand can be seen, His presence felt everywhere. Without the focus of the physical presence of Swami, I felt it was also certainly easier for me to converse with Swami and connect with him.

Attending talks by incredible people in the Sai Organisation was also an honour and a highlight of the journey. Listening to Professor Anil Kumar, his pure joy and enthusiasm, his experiences and stories, was uplifting and helped me connect with Swami. Brother Rathnakar’s welcoming talk emphasising that Prasanthi was our home helped me realise how fortunate I am to be part of such an amazing Sai family.

At the end of the incredible trip, reflecting upon the inspiring seeds that were sown, watered, and which I now have to cultivate, I realise that my journey has only just begun.”

Age 19, Region 1

“The 2023 UK pilgrimage was my first trip to Prasanthi and it most definitely came with a lot of ups and downs. A lot of my time was spent following the carefully planned activities organised by the UK team. The tours and talks allowed for us to see a different side to Prasanthi and it was amazing to see how such sophisticated buildings have been established in rural India. In my spare time, if I was not resting then I was engaging with other devotees. It was during these moments when I felt the most connected to Swami. We exchanged stories and experiences that made me feel goosebumps and made me really feel Swami’s presence. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to visit the Media Centre twice which was one of the highlights of the trip for me. I met some of the UK Bal Vikas students who inspired me to be more positive with their infectious personalities and had the greatest time filming the teaser trailer with them. We filmed some scenes inside the studio then walked past some monkeys to film some on the grounds of the ashram itself. At the end of my trip, I felt a great deal of gratitude for the opportunities I had and I also renewed my faith in Swami. My conversations with devotees reminded me that all we have to do is surrender. Of course, as humans we have a need to control everything ourselves so the act of surrendering is a lot easier said than done; however, in summary my biggest takeaway from the pilgrimage would be a reminder to surrender everything to Swami.”

Age 22, Region 3

For the welfare of the country and of the entire world, the spirit of service, vital enthusiasm, constructive imagination, pure motivation, and unselfish alertness are all needed urgently.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 15, Ch. 31, 19 November 1981

The purpose of the Young Adults Wing is to serve the whole Organisation whilst supporting the spiritual journey of the next generation. Thus, it is the duty of the Young Adults to be of service, not only to their fellow brothers and sisters across the nation, but also to the world from which they merely borrow. This series of articles will capture a snippet of the service activities supported by Young Adults across the United Kingdom, in the hope of inspiring others.

In this month's issue, we hear from Region 1.

Swami exhorts us to “develop the spirit of Oneness” and to experience unity in diversity. He teaches us that the whole of creation is the body of God and Nature is the mirror in which the image of God can be seen.

With this in mind, the R1 Young Adults partnered with a local charity (“The Friends of Cannizaro Park”), to undertake some conservation work at a local park in Wimbledon, south west London. The Young Adults had previously volunteered with charity in 2019 and it was pleasing to see how the park had evolved in the subsequent years.

The day started off with the Young Adults removing himalayan balsam, a small pink/purple flower which can grow to a height of 2.5m. Whilst this flower is loved by bees for its abundance of seed pods, it can quickly out-compete native plants, many of which have important ecological benefits to specific interests. This was followed by removing bracken, a weed that can grow to a height of 1.5m and can be found in a wide range of habitats where it can be an aggressive competitor.

After a fruitful 2 hours of intense pruning, the Young Adults took a step back to reflect on the simple yet vital conservation work they had undertaken. The charity was grateful for our support and we look forward to working with them again in the future.